Car-coupling



I 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(NoMoael.) l P. P. LENAI-IAN.v

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 418,731. Patented Jan. 7, 1890.

l 4 Qt/m@ (No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2.

P1P. LBNAHAN.

GAR GUUPLING.

N6. 418,731. 1 Patented Jan. 7, 1890.

1 W l1 M \\wf tW//v I /M ATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS P. LENAHAN, or wILIrnS-BARR, PENNSYLVANIA.

-CAR-COUP'LING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,731, dated January7, 1890.

Application filed J une 2 7 1 889.

ToA a/ZZ whoml it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS P. LENAHAN, a citizen of the United States,residing` at VVilkes-Barr, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupler, of which thefollowing isa specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings which employ aswinging pin hav` ing a cross or rock bar moving within a vertical slotautomatically coupling the cars and permitting the same to be readilyuncoupled;

and it consists, primarily, in. devices and means of acom plishing thisresult-hereinafter described. l 'v In the accompanying drawings, Figure1 represents a longitudinal section of my irnproved coupler on the line3 4, Fig. 4, showing the same in the act of coupling. Fig. 2 is also alongitudinal section on the Vline'S 4, Fig. 4, showing the couplingeffected. Fig. 3 is the same, Showing the positions assumed when theoars are uncoupled. Fig. 4 is a top planlview, partly in section, on theline 1 2,

1 represents the draw-head, provided with recessed portions la and' 1b.l

2 is the stationary link, secured within th d raw-head 3 by means ofbolts or by any other desired means.

4 is a swinging pin provided with a cross .or rock bar 4b, which latteris more clearly lshown in Fig. 4.

. of said posts are 4formed vert-ical slots 6, so

i cured to the forward side of the slots G,eX`

t within the reach of the train or yard man.

constructed at their lower ends as to for'in beveled faces 7 and upperand lower iioors 8 and 9,1espectively. Spring tonguepieces 10, se-

tend downwardly to a point slightly below the upper floor 8 and serve toseparate Said vertical slots 6 in to double slots from apoint beginningat the upper ends of the beveled faces 7.

To the upper end of the Swinging pin 4 is secured a lifting-chain 11,which extends upwardly, and, passing through a hole in crosspiece 5, iscarried to a pointv conveniently Serial No. 315,844. (No model.)

Double bell-crank-levcr arms l2, (shown in detail in Fig. 4,) pivoted at12, having at their their remaining ends connected together by means ofa connecting-piece 14, to which is secured the actuating-chain 15,carried to a point conveniently within the reach of a train orvyard man.I also provide guarding-flanges 15, which extend slightly outwardly fromthe forward sides of the slots 6, having their lower portions so formedat 16 as to guide the rock or cross bar 450i' pin 4 from contact andengagement with the lever-arms 12 and their lugs 13.

The operation of my device is as follows: Vhen it is desired to make acoupling as the cars approach each other, the link 2 enters into thedraw-head 1, and, impinging against the swinging pin 4, pushes thelatter into the recess 1, as shown by dotted lines, the cross or rockbar 4b resting upon t-he upper floor 8. When the link.2 has entered intothe drawheadl for a certain distance, the pin 4 is permitted to fallagain into its vertical position and within said link 2. As the slack ofthe train is taken up, the stress of the link 2 is brought to bear uponthe pin 4, causing the cross-bar 4b of the latter to press to one sidethe spring tongue-piece 10, permitting said cross-bar 4b to enter thatportion of the slot 6 below the upper oor 8 and to rest upon the lowerioor 9, the spring tongue-piece 10 returning to its normal position. Itwill thus be seen that the pin 4 is so held that unusual jars or otherexigencies cannot uncouple the cars. When it is desired to uncouple thecars, the operatory may by pulling upward upon the chain 15 draw thespring tonguepiece against the beveled face v7, thus openingcommunication between the divided pori'ionsof the vertical slot 6. Whenthis is accomplished, the operator by pulling upward upon chain 11 drawsthe pin 4 out of engagement with link 2. The spring tongue-piece maythen be permitted to resume' its normal position, the parts being thenrelativelyin position for being again coupled.

I-Iavin g thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with IOO the draw-head andvertical posts, of Vertical slots in said posts so constructed as topro* vide double floors, one lower than the other, beveled 0r inclinedfaces, downwardly-extending spring tongue-pieces, theupper por- JLionsof their lengths secured to upper portion of the slots, and theirremaining lower portions serving to separate the lower portion of thesedvertical slots into double slots.

2. The combination, in a car-coupling, of a vertically-movable cross orrock har carrying the pin, vertical posts secured to the drawhead andprovided with slots having double Iioors, one lower than the other,beveled faces, and downwardlyextending spring tonguepieces formingdouble slots Within which said cross or rock bar moves.

3. lThe Combination, in a car-coupling, of a vertically-movable rock orcross bei' carrying the coupling-pin, said rock or cross bar moving andresting Within double slots formed in the lower pari; of vertical slotsb y downwardlycxt-ending spring tongue-pieces. and means by y n q lwhich the spring ton gue-pieces may be pressed forward against beveledfeces to permit the rock-ber to move from one slot to the other.

4. The combination, in a oer-coupling, of downwardly-extending springtongue-pieces, beveled faces, end a. pivoted bell-crank lever actingupon the said tonguepieces, es seb forth.

The combination, with the link of a coupling, of e rock or cross barcarrying the pin and vertical slots having their lower portions dividedinto double slots by a downwardlyfextending spring tongue-piece,one ofsaid slots being longer than the other and having a bev'- eled face. f

6. The combination, with vertical slots formed in vertical posts, offlanges or guidepieces so constructed es to ride the cross or rook barout of engagement; with the bellerank lever'.

FRANCIS P. LENAl-IAN.

Witnesses:

SCHUYLER DURYEE, R. E. GRANT.

